December 1, 2016 in two assault divisions (7th and 76th) and four landing and assault brigades (11th, 31st, 56th and 83rd) of the Airborne Troops of the Russian Federation formed separate tank Companies. The T-72B3 tanks were delivered to the units.

A fragment of the program "Rota up!" March 2, 2017 TV channel OTV Primorye on the selection of tank biathlon competitions among the parts of the Eastern Military District, where the crew of the tank company of the 83rd Airborne Assault Brigade of the Airborne Troops for the first time participates. Company received tanks T-72B3 in January 2017.

ULYANOVSK, April 28. /TASS/. The D-10 parachute for the Ratnik ‘soldier of the future’ combat outfit will be modernized by 2018, Airborne Force Commander Colonel-General Andrei Serdyukov said on Friday.

In the corporate edition of KKU "Tractor Plants" was published an interview "Armor for the" winged infantry "with the executive director of Volgograd Engineering Company VGTZ (former Volgograd Tractor Plant) Fizuli Seyfedov.

Volgograd production site of the Concern "Tractor Plants" includes a special design bureau, as well as subdivisions of the main and auxiliary production. What priorities are currently being addressed by VMK VGTZ, says Fizuli Seyfedov, the company's executive director.- How can you determine the main purpose of the Volgograd site of the "Tractor Plants"?

- Let's start with the fact that during the 85-year history of the Volgograd Tractor Plant dozens of types and modifications of landing vehicles of various purposes were created here. The Special Design Bureau of VGTZ is the main design bureau in Russia for the development of military equipment for airborne troops. And today the enterprise continues development work in the interests of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. At the industrial site, both production of serial machines and prototypes of products are conducted. And, it should be noted, the tasks are successfully performed.

At the production site today there are just over 1800 people who provide a full cycle of manufacturing special-purpose products. This is welding of housings, manufacturing of components, mechanical, galvanic and thermal processing of parts, assembling and testing of machines, their service and support.

- Their release is scheduled for 2017. Moreover, the conclusion of relevant treaties, which will operate on a long-term basis, is planned.- What was the result of the company's performance in 2016?

- The volume of production of the last year compared to 2015 increased four-fold. Since the state armament program approved by the President of the Russian Federation is designed for the period until 2020, we expect a full load of production for the next few years. In parallel, we are conducting prospective development work in the interests of the Russian Defense Ministry, which also plan to receive serious "dividends".

- Probably, it is a question of the modernized self-propelled antitank gun 2S25? The ex-commander of the Airborne Forces, now a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Shamanov said more than once about the waiting for this "flying tank" in the troops.

- Last year, for state tests, prototypes of the modernized self-propelled anti-tank gun 2S25M "Sprut-SDM1" were manufactured. OCD is being conducted to create a chassis for various purposes - for a prospective self-propelled artillery gun; For a mobile airborne assortment of radio and electronic reconnaissance, for a radio electronic warfare station; For fire control machines for artillery, for air defense control vehicles.

- With what enterprises of the Concern are close cooperation relations established?

- In matters of supply of materials and services, we closely cooperate with the Concern's enterprises. For example, JSC "ChAZ" provides us with forgings, conducts heat treatment of parts with high-frequency currents. Castings and forgings are obtained from the Kurgan production site of "Tractor Plants". The instrument is supplied to us by OOO Remex from Cheboksary.

- Are other types of products produced at the production site of the Volgograd Tractor Plant, except special-purpose machinery?

- Several years ago in Volgograd, indeed, civil engineering was produced, but as a result of reorganization and optimization measures, its production was transferred to other Concern enterprises: spare parts and spare parts for AGROMASH 90TG - in OAO Promtractor, irrigation systems - in ZAO Promtractor -Railway carriage".

- Fizuli Velievich, for what would you praise the staff of VGTZ?

- The company employs a well-coordinated professional team, capable of performing tasks in a high-quality and efficient manner, often without regard to personal time, overtime and on weekends.

Each shop has its own reliable backbone. So, the test driver of the machine assembly shop Konstantin Slinkov, of those who truly loves his work, responsible, conscientious, he is indispensable in solving many problems. And this is in my 28 years. In the same workshop, the mechanic of mechanic assembly works Eugene Bychkov, who specializes in the most complex operation - the laying of an engine. The highest precision in the manufacture of parts is provided by a machine tool and manipulators programmer Yevgeny Neshkov. At the age of 25, already a high-quality specialist turner Nikolai Goncharov, behind him fixed the most responsible nomenclature.

Venus Bedretdinova - the only woman who works as the head of the mechanical section. She organized the work so competently and professionally that her team invariably performs shift-daily assignments on time. On the site Bedretdinova full order in all production areas.

Products of excellent quality are handled by the milling cutter Tatyana Bochkova and the trawler Irina Shishkina, both working in the manufacture of metal products. High professional and industrial discipline is distinguished by young specialists electric welder of manual welding Herman Vasilchenko and fitter of mechanical assembly works Mikhail Shuvaev, they are working on the assembly of BMD-4M cases.

I want to highlight Vladimir Budayev, head of the design bureau of tests, reliability and repair documentation. Under the leadership of this purposeful, competent, initiative specialist, the staff of the bureau solves complex questions on the implementation of ROC under concluded contracts with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, conducts design support for the manufacture of prototypes of products, takes a direct part in preliminary and qualification tests.

- What is the average age of employees in the company? Are there a lot of young people in the team?

- The average age of workers in enterprises is 45 years, young people about a third of the total. Of course, I would like to change this ratio somewhat in favor of young specialists, so that the natural outflow of personnel occurs without prejudice to production, and the accumulated experience of old-timers is transferred into reliable hands. We're working on it now.

- How is the interaction between production workers and military representatives? Is it difficult to achieve mutual understanding?

- By and large, we have nothing to share. The task at us general: qualitatively and in time to deliver technics for the Airborne troops.- What are the production plans for 2017?

- This year the enterprise will continue to fulfill the state defense order. The planned increase in production is two-fold. I am confident that the plans will be fulfilled.

"All Airborne Force units of the armies of all major foreign military powers parachute only personnel and cargoes while military hardware is delivered by the landing rather than by the parachuting method. We, however, can air-drop whole airborne battalions and even airborne regiments and also combat hardware. These capabilities will increase further with the development of military transport aviation," the commander said on the eve of 87 years since Russia’s Airborne Force was established.

No other country in the world can feature such capabilities today, the commander said.

"Foreign armies have no parachuting means, which we have, and their hardware is not suitable for air-dropping. They have not dealt with this issue," the commander said.

The Russian Airborne Force will get a new Bakhcha-UPDS multi-cupola parachute system in 2018. The parachute system will make it possible to air-drop BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicles with seven-member crews from military transport planes, the commander said.

The new parachute system will primarily start arriving for parachute infantry units and high-alert formations, he added.

"This year, the state trials of the Bakhcha-UPDS new parachute system designed to air-drop BMD-4M vehicles and other hardware from military transport planes are coming to a close. These trials are proceeding successfully. We are planning to finish this work by the end of the year and somewhere at the beginning of next year this system will become operational and will be primarily arriving in a planned manner for our parachute infantry units and high-alert units," the commander said.

"The BMD-4M is made precisely in its air-droppable version with the accommodation of personnel inside it and in this vehicle we can parachute seven people," the commander said.

For this purpose, the required equipment has been installed inside the BMD-4M and special seats for personnel have been installed, he said.

"Immediately after landing, this fighting vehicle with paratroopers inside can accomplish assigned missions, including combat and special assignments. Its ability to quickly leave the parachuting area after landing considerably increases its survivability," the Airborne Force commander said.

The BMD-4M is equipped with the automated fire control system and a new navigation system. Its advanced electronic equipment facilitates the crew’s aiming while moving at high speeds across rough terrain.Strategic exercises

This year, the Russian Airborne Troops will take part in two strategic exercises among other war games scheduled for 2017, both international and national, according to Serdyukov.

"As for international military cooperation, the Airborne Troops are much more in the thick of it than any other service or branch of the armed forces. This year we have already had four international war games," Serdyukov said.

He said, Russia and Belarus will team up in September for scheduled exercises code-named West 2017 to work on interaction assignments with other branches of the armed forces on the Western Strategic Direction. Also in September, Airborne Forces’ units will participate in Interaction-2017 strategic exercises of the CSTO rapid reaction forces, in Armenia, he added.

Following that, they will undertake joint anti-terrorism coordination exercises with Egypt, who will contribute about 100 paratroopers. The military drills will be held in September, near Crimea’s Novorossiisk port city. Besides, two joint exercises with the Special Operations Forces of Belarus are scheduled for this year.

"Currently, a delegation of the Airborne Troops led by the commander of the 11th separate air assault brigade, Colonel Ruslan Evdokimov, is in Brazil, hosted by a brigade of the Brazilian armed forces, to share opinions and discuss cooperation," the commander said.

"This program of international military cooperation has continued for years, and it has always scored high marks," he stressed.

Serdyukov also said that before the end of the year, Airborne Troops units will take part in joint-force tactical exercises in the Arctic zone, which will also involve the Northern Fleet and special action units. The exercises will involve interaction in Extreme North conditions.

Serdyukov also mentioned the regimental tactical exercises with landing and combat firing in Russia’s northwestern Pskov region and brigade tactical exercises with landing and combat firing in the Far Eastern Primorsky region. These war games will train coordination on the Western and Eastern strategic directions.

Strike and intelligence units

The commands of the strike and intelligence units of the Russian Airborne Forces will be merged into a single system, the Airborne Force commander Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov told TASS.

"This experience (of the operation in Syria - TASS) is, no doubt, instructive. We are actively using this practice now. This is the establishment of various scout-firing and scout-attack contours within our units. It is about uniting the existing modern intelligence and attack equipment under the rule of one commander, along with effective use of this equipment," Serdyukov said on Monday in the run-up to the 87th anniversary of the Airborne Forces establishment.

"This is being used quite actively in Syria," he added, noting that the Russian defense industry had made scientific and technical headway that "helps detect targets in a real-time mode today, coordinate these targets with a high probability and hit them online with both various aviation equipment and artillery."

The Airborne Forces commander said that Defense Minister, General of the Army Sergey Shoigu, and Chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov, attached major importance to the creation and effective application of these contours. "This should be learnt, and this is, actually, a considerable step forward. So, it dominated the last meeting of the Armed Forces command, that had been held recently. Both the defense minister and the chief of the General Staff highlighted its importance at the meeting," Serdyukov said.

"Both theoretical and practical studies were carried out on the basis of the Southern Military District units, and this is being actively used in the army nowadays," the commander added.

Large scale Airborne exercises in the Far East. It was mentioned earlier how this was the first major Parachute training exercise by this unit (83rd) which although an Air Assault brigade was until recently a part of the Ground Forces along with the 11th and 56th Guard Air Assault brigades. Probably most were not aware that these units were not equipped with BMD's, but BTR's and BMP's or even for a while SUV's in one unit. It has only been after becoming part of the Airborne Forces that they have started receiving BMD's. As the other Airborne units start receiving new BMD-4M's, their old BMD-2's have been transferred to these 3 brigades. Their BMP's and BTR's are then available for use in the new regiments being formed for the new Divisions back West.

First battalion (171st) of the new 97th Air Assault Regiment being formed in Crimea went operational. The 97th will become the 3rd Regiment of the 7th Guards Airborne Division.

Formed on the territory of the Crimean peninsula, the airborne assault battalion of the Airborne Forces received a combat banner during the solemn ceremony. The ceremony was held at the central stadium of the city of Feodosia. The battalion was given by the commander of the Airborne Forces of Russia Andrei Serdyukov to the battalion and a letter from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces. At the central stadium of Theodosia (the former "Crystal") in the solemn event, the head of the region Sergei Aksyonov also took part.

"Today, another page is inscribed in the history of the Airborne Forces. A separate assault and assault battalion with a dislocation in the city of Feodosia was formed. I congratulate you on this event! I express confidence that all tasks assigned to the battalion will be fulfilled."

Statement of the Head of the Republic of Crimea:

"Warriors paratroopers are always on the front line. Crimeans are proud of you! I am sure that your unit will strengthen the military grouping of Russian troops in the territory of the Crimea."

Alexei Tolmachyov, commander of the Airborne Forces Training Department of the Russian Airborne Forces, responded in a retort that servicemen of the battalion will keep the glorious traditions of the airborne troops and guard Russia's borders in the Crimea.

On the occasion of the solemn presentation of the flag to the battalion of the Airborne Forces in Feodosia, festive events are held, including demonstration performances by paratroopers, the performance of famous musical works by the combined orchestra of the 7th Airborne Assault Division, an exhibition of weapons and military equipment, exhibition fights in hand-to-hand combat, and much more.

ULYANOVSK, May 5 - RIA Novosti. By 2023, in accordance with the plan for the construction of the Airborne Forces until 2030, it is planned to reorganize the 31st separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade into the 104th Guards Airborne Assault Division. This was stated on Saturday by the head of the State Duma Defense Committee Colonel-General Vladimir Shamanov at a solemn meeting on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the redeployment of the 104th Guards Airborne Order of Kutuzov, the second-degree division from the Republic of Azerbaijan to Ulyanovsk and the 20th anniversary of the formation of the successor to the compound 31st separate Guards landing assault brigade.

"Today, when the plan for the construction of the Airborne Forces has been approved before 2030, we should expect that by the 25th anniversary of the brigade in 2023 we will again revive the 104th Airborne Assault Division now, which plans to accommodate in three cities - Ulyanovsk, Penza and Orenburg, "Shamanov said. "We will also revive the 345th Legendary Regiment, which successfully performed combat missions in Afghanistan, which will be a tribute to the heroism and heroism of these remarkable people," he added.

He said that recently at a meeting with the Russian president in St. Petersburg on behalf of the veteran community, he asked him to give a political assessment of the almost 10-year stay of Soviet troops in Afghanistan in connection with the 30th anniversary of their withdrawal from that country, which will be celebrated in 2019. "The Russian president agreed with this," Shamanov said.

As chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, he assured the current generation of professional defenders of the Fatherland that they can be confident of their future.

Shamanov noted the decisive role of the personnel of the 31st brigade in that in the Russian society of servicemen began to be called "polite people." "You did it, returning the Crimea to your native harbor," the head of the Duma committee emphasized, referring to the paratroopers standing in the ranks. "Low bow to you, success in military and political training and faith in tomorrow's Russia," Shamanov wished.

Now the Airborne Troops of Russia includes two airborne (98th and 106th) and two assault-assault (7th and 76th) divisions and four separate landing-assault brigades (11th, 31st 56th and 83rd), as well as a separate special-purpose brigade (45th).

{} However, even now one can say which model of the latest Russian technology is the easiest. We are talking about the army ATV-1, which now and then flashes in the reports from the exercises of airborne troops and special-purpose units. Its weight is only 460 kg. The carrying capacity is up to 300 kg. The total weight of the towed trailer is 500 kg.

This combat ATV can be a vehicle for two fully equipped servicemen. The front cars are armed with 7.62-mm machine guns of the Pecheneg PKP, capable of accurately destroying the enemy at a range of 1500 m. Other weapons, for example automatic grenade launchers, can be installed. {}